How Do You Spell AB URBE CONDITA?

Pronunciation: [ˈab ˈɜːb kəndˈiːtə] (IPA)

"Ab urbe condita" is a Latin phrase that means "from the founding of the city". Spelling this phrase accurately can be tricky because of the unfamiliar Latin alphabet. Fortunately, we can use the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) to help us understand how to spell it. The correct pronunciation is [aːb ˈʊrbɛ ˈkɔndɪta], which can be written as: "ahb oor-buh kon-dee-tah". With this aid, the proper spelling of "ab urbe condita" is easier to achieve.

AB URBE CONDITA Meaning and Definition

1. "Ab urbe condita" is a Latin phrase that literally translates to "from the founding of the city." It refers to the Roman calendar system, which dates events from the traditional founding of Rome.

   In Roman tradition, the city of Rome was said to have been founded on April 21st, 753 BC, by Romulus and Remus. The phrase "ab urbe condita" was subsequently used to designate the number of years that have elapsed since this event, in order to establish a chronological framework for historical events in the Roman Empire.

   The term is primarily used in ancient Roman history to establish the year of events, and it can be found in historical texts and inscriptions. For instance, a sentence could read, "The Battle of Cannae took place in the 512th year ab urbe condita."

   The calculation of years ab urbe condita continued to be used for centuries in Rome and other parts of the Roman Empire, including during the medieval period. However, it gradually fell out of use after the adoption of the Christian Anno Domini (AD) system, which became the dominant dating system in Europe.

   Today, "ab urbe condita" is primarily of historical and linguistic interest, serving as a reminder of the ancient Roman civilization and its unique calendrical system.